West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture & History

2023 West Virginia State Marching Band Invitational Championship Winners Announced – Cabell Midland wins Governor’s Cup Series

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Thirty-three bands from around the state showcased their talents in the 12th annual West Virginia State Marching Band Invitational Championship at Philip Barbour High School in Philippi on Saturday, Oct. 21. West Virginia Wesleyan College performed as an exhibition band during the competition. A complete list of winners is included.

Cabell Midland High School won the Overall “Honor Band” Award and Old Gold Division Grand Champion, and Hurricane High School won the Blue Division Grand Champion award. Bands were judged on general effect, marching and maneuvering, music, music effect, percussion, drum major, color guard, majorettes and feature twirler.

Cabell Midland took home the 2023 Governor’s Cup Marching Band Series Championship trophy with a first-place finish in the overall standings. The Governor’s Cup consisted of nine local competitions, along with the Marching Band Invitational finals. Points were awarded at each competition and then the winner was determined by the band who received the most points throughout the series.

This year’s event also included a drumline competition, with Elkins High School winning first prize.

Participating bands were Berkeley Springs High School, Berkeley Springs, Morgan County; Braxton County High School, Sutton, Braxton County; Buckhannon-Upshur High School, Buckhannon, Upshur County; Cabell Midland High School, Ona, Cabell County; Calhoun County Middle/High School, Mt. Zion, Calhoun County; Doddridge County High School, West Union, Doddridge County; Elkins High School, Elkins, Randolph County; Elkins High School, Elkins; Randolph County; Greenbrier East High School, Lewisburg, Greenbrier County; Greenbrier West High School, Charmco, Greenbrier County; Hurricane High School, Hurricane, Putnam County; James Monroe County High School, Lindside, Monroe County; Liberty High School, Clarksburg, Harrison County; Liberty High School, Glen Daniel, Raleigh County; North Marion High School, Farmington, Marion County; Paden City High School, Paden City, Wetzel County; Parkersburg High School, Parkersburg, Wood County; Petersburg High School, Petersburg, Grant County, Philip Barbour High School, Philippi, Barbour County; Poca High School, Poca, Putnam County; Preston High School, Kingwood, Preston County; Princeton High School, Princeton, Mercer County; Ravenswood High School, Ravenswood, Jackson County; Richwood High School, Richwood, Nicholas County; Robert C. Byrd High School, Clarksburg, Harrison County; Ritchie County High School, Ellenboro, Ritchie County; St. Marys High School, St. Marys, Pleasants County; Shady Spring High School, Shady Spring, Raleigh County; Tyler Consolidated High School, Sistersville, Tyler County; Webster County High School, Upperglade, Webster County; Westside High School, Clear Fork, Wyoming County; Williamstown High School, Williamstown, Wood County; Wirt County High School, Elizabeth, Wirt County; and Woodrow Wilson High School, Beckley, Raleigh County.

The West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History (WVDACH) also inducted two individuals into the State Marching Band Directors Hall of Fame. Honorees include Dr. Scott Woodard, currently the director of instrumental music, interim associate provost and associate vice president for academic affairs at West Virginia State University, and the associate conductor of the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra and music director of the Charleston Chamber Orchestra; and Deborah Westbrook, a teacher for Preston County Schools for 40 years and the head band director at Preston High School beginning in 1995, where she held that position until her retirement in June 2023. The inductees were selected from a list of nominations submitted to the WVDACH.

The West Virginia State Marching Band Invitational Championship was sponsored by the WVDACH in participation with the Save The Music Foundation, Conn-Selmer Division of Education, the West Virginia Department of Education and the Higher Education Policy Commission. The State Marching Band Championship helps to promote, encourage and celebrate arts education throughout West Virginia.

For more information about the State Marching Band Championship, contact Andrea Nelson, public information specialist for the department, at (304) 558-0220 or Andrea.E.Nelson@wv.gov.

The winners of the State Marching Band Invitational Championship are as follows:

Governor’s Cup Marching Band Series

Champion: Cabell Midland High School

1st Runner-Up: Hurricane High School

2nd Runner-Up: Princeton High School

3rd Runner-Up: Woodrow Wilson High School

4th Runner-Up: Philip Barbour High School

Overall Awards (Honor Band)

West Virginia State Honor Band: Cabell Midland High School

1st Runner-up: Hurricane High School

2nd Runner-up: Woodrow Wilson High School

3rd Runner-up: Tyler Consolidated High School

4th Runner-up: Princeton High School

Division Awards

Old Gold Division Grand Champion: Cabell Midland High School

Old Gold Division 1st Runner-Up: Woodrow Wilson High School

Old Gold Division 2nd Runner-Up: Philip Barbour High School

Old Gold Division Best Music: Cabell Midland High School

Old Gold Division Best Marching: Cabell Midland High School

Old Gold Division Best General Effect: Cabell Midland High School

Blue Division Grand Champion: Hurricane High School

Blue Division 1st Runner-Up: Tyler Consolidated High School

Blue Division 2nd Runner-Up: Princeton High School

Blue Division Best Music: Princeton High School

Blue Division Best Marching: Tyler Consolidated High School          

Blue Division Best General Effect: Hurricane High School

Class A Band Awards

1st Place: Cabell Midland High School

2nd Place: Philip Barbour High School

3rd Place: Richwood High School

Class A Best Overall Awards

Percussion:

1st Place: Cabell Midland High School

2nd Place: Philip Barbour High School

3rd Place: Elkins High School

Color Guard:

1st Place: Cabell Midland High School

2nd Place: Philip Barbour High School

3rd Place: Elkins High School

Drum Major:

1st Place: Cabell Midland High School

2nd Place: Philip Barbour High School

3rd Place: Richwood High School

Soloist: Cabell Midland High School – flute

Class B Band Awards

1st Place: Woodrow Wilson High School

2nd Place: Greenbrier East High School

3rd Place: Robert C. Byrd High School

Class B Best Overall Awards

Percussion:

1st Place: Woodrow Wilson High School

2nd Place: Robert C. Byrd High School

3rd Place: Preston High School

Color Guard:

1st Place: Greenbrier East High School

2nd Place: Woodrow Wilson High School

3rd Place: Robert C. Byrd High School

Drum Major:

1st Place: Woodrow Wilson High School

2nd Place: Greenbrier East High School

3rd Place: Preston High School

Soloist: Woodrow Wilson High School – flute

Class C1 Band Awards

1st Place: Tyler Consolidated High School

2nd Place: Princeton High School

3rd Place: Parkersburg High School

Class C1 Overall Awards

Percussion:

1st Place: Tyler Consolidated High School

2nd Place: Princeton High School

3rd Place: Parkersburg High School

Color Guard:

1st Place: Liberty High School (Harrison)

2nd Place: Tyler Consolidated High School

3rd Place: Princeton High School

Drum Major:

1st Place: Braxton County High School

2nd Place: Princeton High School

3rd Place: Tyler Consolidated High School

Soloist: Princeton High School – trumpet

Class C2 Band Awards

1st Place: Shady Spring High School

2nd Place: Paden City High School

3rd Place: Poca High School

Class C2 Best Overall Awards

Percussion:

1st Place: Paden City High School

2nd Place: Shady Spring High School

3rd Place: Poca High School

Color Guard:

1st Place: James Monroe High School

2nd Place: Paden City High School

3rd Place: Shady Spring High School

Drum Major:

1st Place: Paden City High School

2nd Place: Poca High School

3rd Place: Shady Spring High School

Soloist: Shady Spring High School – trumpet

Class D1 Band Awards

1st Place: Hurricane High School

2nd Place: North Marion High School

3rd Place: Greenbrier West High School

Class D1 Best Overall Awards

Percussion:

1st Place: Greenbrier West High School

2nd Place: Ravenswood High School

3rd Place: North Marion High School

Color Guard:

1st Place: Hurricane High School

2nd Place: Ravenswood High School

3rd Place: North Marion High School

Drum Major:

1st Place: Hurricane High School

2nd Place: North Marion High School

3rd Place: Petersburg High School

Soloist: North Marion High School – tuba

Class D2 Band Awards

1st Place: St. Marys High School

2nd Place: Calhoun County High School

3rd Place: Ritchie County High School

Class D2 Best Overall Awards

Percussion:

1st Place: St. Marys High School

2nd Place: Calhoun County High School

3rd Place: Berkeley Springs High School

Color Guard:

1st Place: Calhoun County High School

2nd Place: St. Marys High School

3rd Place: Webster County High School

Drum Major:

1st Place: St. Marys High School

2nd Place: Calhoun County High School

3rd Place: Webster County High School

Soloist: St. Marys High School – trumpet

Best Overall Show Band Awards

1st Place: Richwood High School

2nd Place: Poca High School

3rd Place: Buckhannon-Upshur High School

Drums Competition

Champion: Elkins High School

1st Runner-Up: Parkersburg High School

2nd Runner-Up: Paden City High School

3rd Runner-Up: Princeton High School

4th Runner-Up: Greenbrier East High School

5th Runner-Up: Poca High School

6th Runner-Up: Braxton County High School

7th Runner-Up: James Monroe High School

8th Runner-Up: Webster County High School

9th Runner-Up: North Marion High School

10th Runner-Up: Westside High School

Miss Majorette

Miss Majorette: Braelyn Criner, Braxton County High School

Miss Majorette Runner-Up: Mauren Miller, Philip Barbour High School

Natalea Mumaw Memorial Best Overall Twirler 

Webster County High School

Best Overall Majorettes

Philip Barbour High School

Best Overall Dance Team

James Monroe High School

Best Dressed Director

Victor Iapalucci, Philip Barbour High School

Exit mobile version